A Divine Indignation

(Jesus Clears the Temple)

REFLECTION

August 19, 2007-LUMC-Vesper Service

Text: John 2:13-22

One of the most famous place in the world is the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. It is actually not a part of the Temple but what remains of the outer walls of the Temple that Herod the Great has rebuilt in 19BC in an attempt to perpetuate his name for eternity through massive construction projects. Historians consider this Temple his masterpiece that is why they call this Temple, Herod’s Temple.

It was one of the biggest construction projects of the first century BC, comparable to some of the seven wonders of the world. It was a massive expansion of the Second Temple, which Zerubbabel built in the 2nd year of Cyrus around 516BC, which was rather small in comparison. However, the Roman Empire under the command of Titus destroyed this magnificent marble temple in 70AD after crushing a revolt led by the Zealots.

Do you know that an Islamic shrine, the Dome of the Rock, has stood on the site of the Temple since the late 7th Century AD, and the al-Aqsa Mosque, from roughly the same period stands on the Temple courtyard? What an irony!

What remains of the Temple is a fascinating proof of the truthfulness of this account in the gospel of John. Indeed, we can rely on the truthfulness of the Bible not only on the basis of faith but also of historical record.

We are going to try to go back approximately a little over 2,000 years in time, into the Temple in Jerusalem in all its brilliance and splendor, on a very busy Passover where we will see- the Lord’s Divine Indignation.

In Exodus 34:6-7(NIV), God proclaimed Himself to be the God who is slow to anger. However, in this account of John, we can see the Lord Jesus angry. What was it that angered the Messiah; the God who is supposed to be “slow to anger”? What was so bad about those who sold oxen, goats, sheep and doves and the moneychangers that Jesus had to drive them out of the Temple?

The answer: CORRUPTION

THE CORRUPTION IN THE TEMPLE

What were the corruptions that the Lord had to purge?

Entering the public entrance in the south side of the temple mount, you will see what they call the Huldah Gates then after ascending a staircase, that is three stories high and entering another gate, you will reach the “Court of the Gentiles”. This is the setting of the account in our text where Jesus found:

First, they sold oxen, and sheep, and doves, for sacrifice; we will suppose, not for common use, but for the convenience of the Diaspora (Jewish exiles) pilgrims who could not bring their sacrifices in kind along with them; (see Deut. 14:24–26). This market perhaps had been reserved by the pool of Bethesda (see John 5:2), but was admitted into the temple by the chief priests for money. No doubt, the rents for standing there, and fees for searching the beasts sold there, and certifying that they were without blemish, would yield considerable revenue to them. Great corruptions indeed owe their rise to the love of money (1 Tim. 6:5, 10).

Secondly, they changed money, for the convenience of those that were to pay a half-shekel temple tax. Under the Law of Moses, every male of Israel twenty years old and upward was required to redeem his soul by giving a half-shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary, when a census was taken of Israel. No man was exempt, even the poor had to pay it. "This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs) a half shekel shall be the offering of Yahweh (the LORD). Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto Yahweh (the LORD, Ex. 30:12-14).The purpose of this money was for the maintenance of the tabernacle and later the Temple. Moses wrote, "Receive the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the Tent of Meeting. It will be a memorial for the Israelites before Yahweh (the LORD), making atonement for your lives (Ex 30:16 NIV).

By tradition, the half-shekel became known as the Temple tax that was collected annually. Due to its purity of silver, this was the only coin accepted for the payment of the Temple tax in Jerusalem. According to Alfred Edersheim’s book The Temple, the Pharisee sect made this tax mandatory and could seize property to pay it. According to the New Unger's Bible Dictionary (referring to these moneychangers) - "The Bankers, who sat in the Court of the Gentiles (or in its porch), changed all foreign coins into those of the sanctuary for a fixed discount.… This tribute was in every case to be paid in the exact Hebrew half shekel. The moneychangers assessed a fixed charge for their services. This charge must have brought in large revenue, since not only many native Palestinians might come without the statutory coin, but also a vast number of foreign Jews presented themselves on such occasions in the Temple. In addition to the tribute, those who came to worship at the Temple needed money for other purposes. Most sacrifices for the feasts were bought within the Temple area. It was easier to get the right money from the authorized changers than to have disputes with the dealers. Thus the immense offerings of foreign Jews and proselytes to the Temple passed through the hands of the moneychangers. Indeed, they probably transacted all business matters connected with the sanctuary."

The Temple was the center for worship but they turned it into a center of their foreign exchange business!

THE LORD’S ACTION:

First, He made a scourge of small cords, which probably they had led their sheep and oxen with, and thrown them away upon the ground which, Jesus picked up then He drove out the sheep and oxen, and those that sold them, out of the temple. However, notice that He did not make a scourge to chastise the offenders but only to drive out the animals out of the Temple.

Secondly, He poured out the changers’ money. In pouring out the money, he showed his disapproval of it; he threw it to the ground. In overthrowing the tables, he showed his displeasure against those that make religion a matter of worldly gain. Moneychangers in the temple were the scandal of it.

Thirdly, He said to them that sold doves (sacrifices for the poor) take these things hence. Though the doves, took up less room, and were fewer nuisances than the oxen and sheep still, they were not supposed to be there. The sparrows and swallows were welcome, that were left to God’s providence (Ps. 84:3), but not the doves that were appropriated to man’s profit.

Fourthly, He gave them a good reason for what he did: “Make not my Father’s house a house of merchandise”. The temple was intended for the holy purpose of worship and not for immoral gain.

REFLECTION

The Bible says, “Know you not that you are the temple of God and the Holy Spirit dwells in you?” Apostle Paul stresses this point three times in his two letters to the Corinthian believers particularly in 1Cor. 3:16-17; 1Cor. 6:19 and 2Cor. 6:16-18.

In the ancient world, the entire city of Corinth was known to have a loose, permissive culture. There was even a temple in Corinth that honored the goddess Venus that employed 1,000 prostitutes. In fact, there was a Greek verb “to Corinthianize” which meant to live shamelessly and immorally.

Concisely, Paul taught the Corinthian believers that they were the temple of God and that they should keep themselves pure from whatever influence that defiles God’s temple. The same message goes to all of us. In a commentary by Matthew Henry regarding this subject, he says, “The temple was devoted and consecrated to God, and set apart from every common to a holy use, to the immediate service of God. So all Christians are separated from common uses, and set apart for God and his service. If we are the temples of God, we must do nothing that shall alienate ourselves from him, or corrupt and pollute ourselves, and thereby unfit ourselves for his use; and we must hearken to no doctrine that would seduce us to any such practices. Note, Christians are holy by profession, and should be pure and clean both in heart and conversation. We should heartily abhor, and carefully avoid, what will defile God’s temple.”

WHAT WAS THE LORD’S PURPOSE?

The Lord’s “scourge of small cords” was not merely for punishment- although, the Lord chastises His children- but more so for Reformation. The Lord is interested more on a change of heart than flowing tears.

Let us examine ourselves. Is there any area in our lives that Christ needs to clear?

One good thing about God’s Divine Indignation is that He remains righteous and just even in anger. Note: Christ used the scourge of small cords to drive the animals out of the temple and not on the people. He drove out the sheep and oxen so the owners might follow them. He overturned the tables and scattered their money on the floor, to make a statement of His disapproval but they could gather them up again. Yet when He turned to the cages of doves, He just asked the sellers to put them away. If he had turned the doves flying, perhaps they could no longer be retrieved. Therefore, to them that sold doves he said, take these things away. God showed concern even He was angry. Even if God hates the sin that He sees in the human temple, which is our body, He is still gracious enough to let us willfully respond.

Whenever we compromise our faith in favor of anything against the principles of Christ, God is saying, Take these things away! In the middle of all the worldly influences that surround us, we need to keep ourselves pure. However, it is easier said than done we all know. Yet we can stand with authority against these influences that find their way within us and take them away by virtue of Christ’s authority over the temple as Jesus said, “destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up”. The Jews did not understand His words because their focus was on carnal things- on what was physical thus, they could not grasp when they heard something spiritual. True was their argument that the temple was built in 46 years just as Dr. Lightfoot computes that it was just forty-six years from the founding of Zerubbabel’s temple, in the second year of Cyrus, to the complete settlement of the temple service, in the 32nd year of Artaxerxes. However, He was referring to the temple of His body. His disciples remembered the words that He said and only understood them after His resurrection. Firstly, by His death and resurrection, He had fulfilled prophesies concerning the Messiah (Isa. 53:5; Dan. 9:26; Ps. 16:10) i.e.) and so therefore, He is the Son of God and that gave Him authority over the temple. Secondly, in His death, the OT temple worship had ended and in His resurrection, a new temple rose and that is the gospel church. The church is the body of Christ and therefore, it is the Temple of Christ. We are parts of this temple and with Christ being the head of the church, He has the authority over it. We can stand on that authority and cast down erroneous ideas in the temple of man's hearts and minds. Paul wrote, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:4-5 King James Version). Remember, the Lord has given us authority to trample on snakes and scorpions. They represent not only the handy works of the devil but his influences as well.

There are things that we may not understand now but in the future, when the time is ripe, we will get a fuller understanding of God’s intentions. We only need to believe and submit today and that will be the key for us to witness the resurrection power of Christ in our lives. We need to die a deeper death so that we could live a life of genuine faith. We need to “put off concerning the former way of life, the old man which is corrupt…” (Eph 4:22), then, and only then can we live and “put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Eph 4:24).

The hour of reformation is not easy. It is often difficult and sometimes painful .When we stand for righteousness, many may not understand or agree. Anyone who works for reformation faces opposition whether in society or within one’s self. The harder it must be if oppositions come from within one’s self. However, even if you do evil, you will still meet opposition. If you do good, you will meet opposition. If in either way you will meet oppositions, it would be better to do the right thing. I remember Jesus words in Matthew 10:34, …”I came not to send peace, but a sword.” People in the worldly order will not understand us or even mock us but we have to make a stand. Jesus chose to do the right thing in spite of the oppositions it might create; He cleared the temple of corruption.

Let us always remind ourselves that we are stewards of God. We are stewards of His truth, His mysteries and His temple. We do not need to wait for Christ to come and clear our human temple; we can clear it even before He comes. Let us not be like the chief priests that allowed the temple to be defiled by the moneychangers.

In First Corinthians 4:2, we can read one very important requirement for good stewardship- faithfulness. When the Lord comes, may He finds us all faithful.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

To the readers of Reflections: Permission is given to print and reproduce part (where the meaning intended is retained and the part is not quoted out of context) or all the content of the reflections for personal use or for distribution on the condition that there is proper acknowledgement, no changes are made and the content is distributed free of charge. Please be prayerful and discreet in distributing or making the content available to others. This paragraph should be included in any and all content reproduced for distribution.

-Arnel Oroceo

The Orocean Journal

A P E R S O N A L P O R T F O L I O W E B S I T E